Having your nails done for your wedding day doesn’t mean your go-to choice has to be a French manicure. We know that it’s a timeless classic, but there are alternative trends that can definitely up your game. So we’ve put together these amazing nail ideas for the modern bride.
1. EMBELLISHED CUTICLES
This detailed look will immediately draw the eye to the cuticle, so first thing’s first, make sure they are in tip-top condition. Once that’s done, a neutral base in nudes, sorbet hues or even grey is key in making sure the detailing around your cuticle stands out. Apply your embellishment either to where the white crescents of your nails are or around your nail bed. You can use anything from silver glitter and gold polish to little gems. Just make sure it’s minimal and neat.
2. A GRAPHIC FRENCH MANI
Taking inspiration from the classic French, this graphic version incorporates colours and alternative designs for a modern revamp. Keep the length of your nails shorts and try to stick to only one or two colours in addition to your base coat. We love the idea of ivory with rose gold tips (to match your jewellery) as a perfect bridal look.
3. LADYLIkE NEUTRALS
Nothing screams ‘lady’ quite like a solid polish in a beautiful neutral shade. File your nails to an almond or oval shape, for an elongating effect, and coat them neatly with a rosy nude, a crisp white, a purply grey or a warm beige. This is soft and feminine and won’t take away from any of the other striking details in your overall look.
4. MODERN METALLICS
This creates an elegant and fun style that you can play with and alter according to how much bling you can handle. Try a solid coat in a pearlescent hue with a single vertical metallic stripe for a modest look, or go for a full-on gold foil over your base coat.
Photography: pinterest.com
Guys, want to look like a million bucks in an off-the-rack suit? Theo Ngobeni, the founder of Mr Slimfit, a styling service that caters to some of SA’s…
Love may not cost a thing – but a wedding usually does! Take the financial sting out of your big day with our 5 clever ways to cut costs.
By Jessica Baxter
1. GO OFF PEAK
Venues and service providers are usually more expensive in peak wedding season, so consider an off-peak wedding to cut costs. Alternatively, if you’ve always dreamt of a summer soirée, make it a mid-week affair, which may bring down the price substantially.
2. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Catering can eat into your budget. Do your research on the cost of a buffet versus a plated meal. Another way to trim the fat is to limit the choices on the menu.
3. SCALE DOWN THE PHOTO SHOOT
Photographers tend to charge by the hour, so ask a friend or bridesmaid to take photos of you getting ready and hire the professional for the main event only.
4. THE DRESS
If you’ve had your eye on a designer gown that costs more than your car, consider hiring a dress or buying one on sale. You can also cast your net wider and browse regular stores for evening dresses.
5. BUDGET BLOOMS
Do you have a friend or neighbour with a beautiful garden? Ask them what’s in season when you get married and you may be able to forage flowers and foliage from their garden to use in your table arrangements. If you’re using a florist, specify seasonal flowers to keep the price down.
FIVE EXTRA WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR RANDS EVEN FURTHER
1. Keep the numbers small. Invite only close family and friends – the ones you know will be celebrating your 10-year wedding anniversary with you.
2. Choose e-vites instead of regular invitations – no postage, no printing costs.
3. Cut the entourage. Instead of having a bevvy of bridesmaids, choose one or two and ask other close friends to be involved by doing a reading or handing out the order of service.
4. Limit the bar. Offer only beer, cider and wine instead of a full bar service.
5. Choose a DJ instead of a band and ask them to play at both the ceremony and reception to get the most bang for your buck.
Soft and tousled, straight-cut, crinkled or dyed, let these paper craft ideas in their myriad forms be a part of your wedding story. 1. A message notebook as…
Your guests will make short work of these scrumptious thank you shortbread biscuits. We love the idea of adding a personal touch to your wedding, and this is one of the easiest ways to do this.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
250g butter, at room temperature
½ cup caster sugar, plus extra to dust
1 vanilla pod, seeds only
2 cups flour
½ cup cornflour
Custom-made rubber stamps
Biscuit cutters
METHOD
1. Have your rubber stamps made with the greetings of your choice (you can order stamps from rubberstampsa.co.za).
2. Preheat oven to 160°C and grease a 20 cm baking tray.
3. Beat the butter until soft, then beat in the caster sugar and vanilla seeds until light and fluffy. Mix in the rest of the ingredients to form a stiff dough.
4. Roll the dough out on the baking tray so you don’t have to move it afterwards and cut them with your cookie cutters. Stamp each one with your rubber stamp.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and immediately dust with caster sugar.
6. Carefully remove the shortbread fingers from the tray and transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.
7. Once they’ve cooled completely, you can put your biscuits in gift boxes or tie them up with cellophane and a pretty ribbon.
Celebrate in the warm glow of candlelight and seal your love with a kiss beneath a star-studded sky by taking inspiration from our night sky themed wedding. THE…
The perennially classic rose will always have a place in wedding florals. But with more than a hundred species of locally grown and imported blooms available, how do you know which ones to choose? Read on to find out how to choose your wedding roses.
By Jessica Baxter
COLOUR, SIZE AND FRAGRANCE
Perhaps the easiest way to narrow your search is to decide on your colour scheme, says Heike le Cordeur from Fleur le Cordeur Floral Designs in Cape Town. ‘Identify different shades of a colour that you love and use different types of roses within that colour scheme,’ she advises. ‘Once you have chosen a colour scheme, you can then look at the flower itself,’ says Heike, suggesting you focus on size and fragrance. ‘As far as possible, I work with fragrant varieties, as very little beats walking into a venue and smelling the flowers.’
Locally, the summer months see the blooming of beautifully fragrant garden roses, but these tend not to be sold commercially and are therefore more difficult to get hold of. This is a better option for those looking to use fewer flowers, as you’re rarely able to order large quantities of these. If you want to fill your venue with roses, then Heike recommends looking at the varieties imported from neighbouring African countries. ‘Kenya, Zimbabwe and Nigeria all grow the most incredible large-head roses.’ And size does matter. A smaller, more open flower head will lend an arrangement a softer, more romantic feel, while a larger bloom is a modern choice.
VARIETY SHOW
While you can rely on your florist to suggest which roses are best to use, familiarising yourself with a few of the popular wedding varieties will make the process that much easier. Some names to add to your list are the iceberg, a pristine white rose that flowers most of the year in South Africa; hybrid tea roses, which are easily recognised by their large, structured blooms; and the Royal Baccara, known for their deep red hue.
DON’T SKIMP ON QUALITY
Whichever variety you choose, always pay more for quality – you don’t want your roses wilting after a few hours. High-quality roses are reliable in hotter venues, where the florist may not have control over the temperature,’ says Heike.
GOOD TO KNOW
1. For the table arrangements, combine roses with other fragrant flowers, such as hyacinths, to give your guests a rich sensory experience.
2. If you decide on a traditional rose bouquet, play with different hues to add interest.
3. If you’re using rose petals instead of confetti after the ceremony, go for fragrant varieties and let their perfume fill the air.
4. Choose bigger blooms for the altarpieces and aisle arrangements, as they make more of a visual impact, especially if you have a large space to fill.